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Archive for July, 2013

If you follow me on Twitter @TygartValleyWV you know I am an avid horse racing fan. This is a big weekend when politics and horses will merge. Horses and jockeys known across the country are already shipping into Mountaineer Racetrack for the WV Derby. They will compete in races named for leaders in our State’s political world.

@CalvinHBorel who has won three Kentucky Derby races will ride in several races throughout the day. Next week at Saratoga he will be inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame. Every horse racing fan’s sweetheart 25 year-old @RosieNapravnik who has earned $8,142,640 has several mounts. She will be on Overanalyze in the WV Derby, won the Arkansas Derby an important race in advance of the “run for the roses” but finished 11 in the Kentucky Derby. Handicappers look for him to bounce back on Saturday.

A West Virginia rider Jose Montano was selected as the national apprentice jockey of the year. He received the Eclipse Award during a ceremony at Miami’s Gulfstream racetrack. He rides mostly at Charles Town but will make the trip to Mountaineer. He will be on Russell Road a WV breed horse with 43 career starts winning 25.

Stakes races throughout the day are named for West Virginia legislative leaders and the Governor, but expect them to take a backseat to the famous horses and jockeys on the track.

BloodHorse publication has a full review of what to expect on Saturday. If you cannot get there the 44th running of the WV Derby will be on Fox Sports Networks beginning at 5 p. m.

Democrats current dilemma in West Virginia is not unlike that confronted by Republicans over the last fifty years. During those years Republicans seemed only to win elections with candidates named Moore or Underwood. The Party was never strong, organized, well financed, working together or developing the future. Besides, with few exceptions, the GOP faced the problem of Democrats voting a straight ticket.

All that began to change in 1996. Though the national Democratic ticket was headed by popular incumbent President Bill Clinton, Democrat voters showed they knew how to crossover. WV Democrats helped Republicans elect the only non-incumbent Governor in the nation that year – Cecil Underwood. Little did anyone realize or think then the GOP dilemma was being transferred to the Democrats.

Like the Republicans in the 20th Century only a few famous names Byrd, Randolph, Rockefeller and more recently Manchin have carried the Democrats to victory. Though Democrats have won statewide Board of Public Works offices the 2011 primary special election for Governor showed none have emerged to take the place of the famous.

A two-party system appears to be in the making for West Virginia.

It started seventeen years ago with Underwood getting majority party voters to place an X by his name. The next step was in 2000 when voters made Governor George W. Bush the first non-incumbent Republican presidential candidate to carry the WV in seventy years. Another Moore (Shelley Moore Capito) entered the scene that year winning a seat in Congress while Bush won again in 2004 and the Republican legislative pick up in 2012. There have been other GOP wins in state races strengthening the move to a two party state.

Not sure what is happening in the Democrat party, but from the outside the dilemma appears to me not unlike what Republicans have faced for fifty years, too few known names, a lack of organization, adequate funds, a united team and a bench to assure the future.

West Virginia will be the winner if the dilemma ends for both parties. Nothing would be better for our State than the checks and balances brought on by a strong two party system.

Anyone who follows the happenings in Washington sees a place where it seems no one can get along, find solutions or enjoy themselves after hours. That was not always the case when Ronald Reagan was President, Tip O’Neill served as House Speaker and Howard Baker lead Republicans in the Senate.

Back in my days in Washington we all worked together. A longtime friend who happens to be a Democrat sent me a video that portrays what it was like back then. It sets an example which should be followed today.

Trust me you will enjoy this video and as my friend said “this is laugh out loud fun.” Click here you will not regret it even if like what goes on in the nation’s capital today.